China’s rare earth dominance highlights global supply chain vulnerabilities

China’s rare earth dominance highlights global supply chain vulnerabilities

China’s dominance in rare earth processing and magnet manufacturing has given it significant influence over global supply chains for products ranging from electric vehicles and wind turbines to consumer electronics and advanced defense systems, The New York Times reports. Although rare earth minerals are mined in several countries, China controls much of the refining and manufacturing infrastructure needed to turn those materials into usable com…